Is this some type of M38a1 prototype?

[linx310]

Saw this on another board. Thought you guys might have some answers.

The hood is square looking and it looks like the hood latches are located on the grill.

[wesk]

I have never heard of any prototype shaped thus. Looks like a field mod for boxes of some type to be carried on the fenders.
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Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D & 47Bantam T3-C

[BullRun]

What you have found is a USMC Fire Fighting jeep. Used at Camp Legeune and probably at other Marine facilities.

It is missing quite a bit but definitely worth saving.

The hood indentations held large fire extinguishers mounted on their sides. A very large tool locker/box went in the back. The passenger seat was elevated on a custom frame so that possibly a radio or other tools could fit underneath.

The tool box locker lid that would normally have been found is probably cut out. This seems to be a fairly common USMC modification for a radio.

Fender blackout light is moved to front of left fender onto a custom bracket to hold into place.

These used a gloss Marine Corps green paint but a subdued lettering finish.

Probably used for grass fires on air fields and such and not as a rescue/fire fighting vehicle due to it's limited capability.

[DMCarpenter]

I forwarded this thread over to FrankUSMC, whom I know from a couple of other boards. His background is firefighting at Lejeune. He might be interested/bring some history in on this jeep.

Dave

[BullRun]

Here are some pictures of a USMC Fire Fighting M38A1 jeep in use at Camp Lejeune, NC Year? The photo quality is not so good but still shows what it originally looked like.

[img]













I do not have a photo credit for the picture unfortunately but suspect it is a USMC source. [img][/img]

[Sam-Helm]

Hey guys,

Those fire extinguishers are for PKP, a dry extinguishing agent which works by temporarily displacing the oxygen above the flames. They are used in conjunction with foam on fuel fires. That would lead me to believe that the jeep in these pictures would be used on the flight line, not in the brush. Anyone who has used PKP, or who has seen the films of the fire on the Forrestal, knows that the "temporary" in my earlier description is only a few seconds. This stuff works well in tandem with the foam, but will get yhou killed alone.

Just a little help from an old sea-dog.
_________________
I SWEAR it said Tab A went into Slot B!

1952 M38A1, 1951 M100

[BullRun]

There you go making me learn something new

[wesk]

Most likely the unimproved grassy location was for helicopters or L19's / OE-1's which for the USMC qualifies as Flightline.

Thanks a lot for the photos which solves the mystery. We now know the M38A1 in the original post is not a factory prototype but a USMC field modified unit.

As for fire extinguisher contents we had mostly CB and CO2 while I was in the Air Force. I prefer CO2 since it's non-corrosive and is really quite harmless out in the open to the operator. Our CB extinguishers were usually 2 Lb. units and each aircraft had two on board. The first was there to get you up close to the fire and the second one was to keep you there long enough to get hurt.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D & 47Bantam T3-C

[FrankUSMC]

Ok, Hi, I am the new guy and this is my first post.
On this jeep, I have seen several, years ago at White Owl Parts company. They were very complete but, drive trains were stripped out. Sadly that is what happens to fire equipment that is built on another vehicle that is useful. I have seen at White Owl parts company the super rare MB2 crash truck that was used by the Marines and Navy. It is on a M37 chassie, so all was there was just a body, again all drive train striiped out to be used in M37s. All these vehicles are now gone, crushed.
Back to this jeep. I spent 16 of my 20 years in Crash Crew while in the Marines. I was told the jeeps were made for fire base/camps that had comuncations gear in Milvan bodies. The jeeps could go between the van bodies and tents to fight the fires.
I have to disagree with Sam-Helm (not good for the new guy), on PKP, I think he has it confused with Halon 1211. That is the fire fighting agent that displaces oxygen. PKP is a powder that blankets the fire to prevent reflashing, like the name it is a purple powder. It is great for fuel fires, the down side is it is corrosive. In Crash Crew, that was the agent we used "last" when all else fails. It will knock the fire out, it will prevent it from reflashing and......it will make you the target of every crew chief. When ever we used PKP on an aircraft, that bird went hard down for rebuild. It was good stuff, but only when all else fails.
One of the few, Frank, USMC RET

[wesk]

Hello Frank,

Welcome aboard and thanks for that bit of personal testimony that makes this hobby so much fun.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D & 47Bantam T3-C

[Powermwt]

I never get tired of this hobby because as soon as you think you have seen every version of jeep another Navy/USMC innovation pops up.

Great photos and helpful information, Frank.
_________________
1944 MB-NAVY-
MZ-1

[wesk]

Mark, Very true. My favorite odd ball recently was the early M38A1 USMC conversion to an Ambulance (before the M170 came out) using the same system the Marines used with those G503 units modified in Australia during WWII.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D & 47Bantam T3-C

[linx310]

Some one who knows all the variants should put a sticky up top with a short description and a picture. I have seen a website that had the official variants but it would be fun to see one with all the unofficial stuff to.

[wesk]

I am not sure a sticky is a good idea because as the list of photos grow so will the download time for that thread.

Perhaps I'll just open a new Photo album for field modified jeeps.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D & 47Bantam T3-C